Lionel Messi To Reveal Favorite Goal of His Career in AI Artwork
Created in collaboration with Refik Anadol.
Summary
- Lionel Messi and Refik Anadol come together to create an AI-generated artwork based on Messi’s favorite career goal.
- The final artwork, co-signed by Messi and Anadol, will be auctioned at Christie’s New York on June 11.
- Funds from the sale will benefit the A Goal in Life initiative, which empowers youth education initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Lionel Messi is teaming up with Turkish artist Refik Anadol for a new AI-generated artwork based on his favorite goal. The final artwork, which will go under the hammer at Christie’s New York on June 11, is presented in two parts: an image of the goal itself, and Anadol’s AI-powered interpretation of the moment generated from millions of data points linked to the game.
Over the course of his illustrious, two-decade-long career, the Argentine footballer has netted over 800 goals with club and international teams – FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain FC, Inter Miami CF and Argentina’s national team to name a few.
“Choosing just one goal out of them all is very difficult – each one is special in its own way, and some are really important or bring back incredible memories,” Messi expressed in a recent statement. “But highlighting one as a favorite for the first time, to make this unique project possible is worth it.”
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The project takes part in the A Goal in Life initiative, helmed by the Inter Miami CF Foundation in partnership with UNICEF. Funds from the auction will expand access to quality education programs for children in five countries across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Anadol described the collaboration as “an extraordinary honor,” and an opportunity to “[bridge] the emotional legacy of sport with the future of art.” A pioneering voice in the digital space, the artist is known for transforming vast data sets into immersive artworks. Later this year, he will debut DATALAND, the world’s first AI art museum, in Los Angeles.
“At Refik Anadol Studio, we’ve always believed in the power of data to tell deeply human stories. Using AI to visualize the memory of Messi’s favorite goal is both a creative and ethical endeavor: to celebrate emotion, memory and excellence.”
The chosen goal will be revealed on the Inter Miami CF Foundation’s Instagram on May 22 at 11 AM ET.
